Adjustable weight for golf club heads



Feb. 1, 1949. c; w. BIGLER ADJUSTABLE WEIGHT FOR GOLF CLUB HEADS Filed April 19, .1948

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INVENTOR. 6? .B Z BY I L9 6' MAI/MW n/L ZVQ Patented Feb. 1, 1949 ADJUSTABLE WEIGHT FOR GOLF CLUB HEADS Charles W. Bigler, Cedar Falls, Iowa Application April 19, 1948, Serial No. 21,801

My invention consists in new and useful improvements in a golf club head and means for adjusting the weight of the head to compensate for any chronic misalignment in the player's stroke. Although my invention may be used in I connection with various clubs, it is primarily designed for use with a golf club putter and has for its object to provide an adjustable weight located within the head of the club, whereby it is possible to so balance the club that a far greater percentage of putts are directed toward the exact center of the cup.

Another object of my invention is to provide an adjustable weight for golf club heads which is extremely simple, in construction and easy to manipulate, and one which does not require major alterations in the structure of the head.

Still another object of my invention is to provide in a golf club head,-particularly of the putter type, an adjustable weight mechanism having suitable markings to indicate selected adjustment of the weight whereby, in the event that the weight becomes out of adjustment for any reason, it may be re-set in exactly the proper position. Furthermore, this marking feature enables an individual club to be used by more than one person and set to meet the requirements of various individuals.

Heretofore, a number of efforts have been made to provide adjustable weights'for golf club heads, including several devices in which various weights are rearranged or relocated relatively on'ascrew in a bore. in a golf club head. However, these previous structures have numerous inherent disadvantages both in construction and operation and were far more time consuming in effecting a proper adjustment, than the average player desired. It is therefore an important object of my invention to overcome these disadvantages and to provide a practical and efficient adjusting mechanism for golf club heads.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a golf club putter head showing my improved weight adjusting means in dotted lines;

Figure '2 is a view in side elevation showing the face of the putter head;

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-77) Figure 3 is an end view of the putter head showing the adjusting screw and the marking means for indicating the proper adjustment;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1, showing the details of structure of the weight adjusting mecha' nism; and

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

In the drawings, 6 represents the head of a conventional golf club putter which, in accordance with my invention is drilled longitudinally from its outer end to form a bore or chamber 1 which is preferably cylindrical andextends for substantially the entire length of the golf club head. Within the chamber 1 I provide a threaded adjusting screw 8 having a slotted head 9'which preferably fits closely within the walls of the chamber 1 with sufiicient clearance to permit rotation thereof. The outer face of the head 9 is shaped to form a continuation of the contour of the adjacent area of the face of the golf club head, as clearly shown in the drawings.

On the screw 8 I provide a weight member Ill of any suitable metal, which is longitudinally drilled and internally threaded to engage the threads on the screw 8. The weight 10 is preferably cylindrical in shape to fit within but slidably engage the walls of the chamber 1 and the underside of the weight is flattened as at H for engagement by the end of a set screw [2 threaded in an opening in the bottom of the golf club head and extending into the chamber 1. This set screw I2 serves a dual purpose of locking the weight 10 in the proper longitudinal position on the screw 8 and, in cooperation with the flattened surface H prevents the rotation of the weight Ill on the screw 8 when the latter is turned.

In order to prevent the longitudinal displacement of the screw 8 in the chamber 1 while permitting its rotation during adjustment of the weight, the head 9 of the screw 8 is provided in 7 its periphery with an annular groove or recess I3. A second set screw l4 having a rounded projecting lug ['5 for engagement with the groove i3 As will be seen from Figure 3, the face of the main adjusting screw head 9 is provided with a series of indicia and is calibrated as at H and at a suitable point on the end face of the golf club head is provided a marking it. By this arrangement a player can determine the proper adjustment for his particular requirements and can be assured that the weight it is in the proper relative position before he starts to play. Further more, it permits the weight to be re-set to the proper position, should the set screws l2 and 14 become loosened for any reason, resulting in the displacement of the weight ill.

While I have shown the chamber 1 and the weight 10 of cylindrical shape, it will be understood that I do not intend to confine myself to this particular construction 'as both of these elements may be square or any other shape in cross section.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a novel and practical golf club having means for accurately adjusting the weight of the head "to the balance thereof, comprising a :recess extendj ling inwardly from one end of said head, a

threaded screw member disposed longitudinally in said recess, said screw member being provided with an integral slotted adjusting head, of size to substantially close the mouth :of said recess and having its outer fa'ce shaped to conform to the contour 'of the adjacent area of the face of said golf clubhead, :a peripheral groove extending around said screw head, a retractable projection in said golf club head extending into said groove, said projection and groove being relatively positioned with respect to one another and to the mouth of said recess to permit rotation 'of the screw but preventing its longitudinal displacement in the recess, a weight mem her in said recess, threaded to operatively-enthe threads of said screw and longitudinally adjustable thereon by rotation of the latter, cooperative means in said recess and on said weight to prevent rotation of said weight with said screw,- but to perm-it its longitudinal movement in said recess when the screw [is turned, an index marking adjacent the mouth of said recess, on one of said faces and a series of cooperating markings 4 on the other of said faces, said last named markings being calibrated to respectively indicate predetermined longitudinal positions of said weight on said screw, and means for locking said Weight in selected positions.

2. In a golf club head, means for adjusting the balance thereof, comprising a cylindrical recess extending inwardly from one end of said head, a threaded screw member disposed longitudinally in said recess, said screw member being provided with an integral slotted adjusting head, of a size to substantially close the mouth of said recess and having its outer face shaped to conform to the contour of the adjacent area of the face of said golf club head, a peripheral groove extending around said screw head, an adjustable set screw in said golf 'club head having a projection which extends into said groove, said projection and groove being relatively positioned with respect to one another and to the mouth of said recess to permit rotation of the screw member but prevent its longitudinal displacement in said recess, a cylin-drioal weight in said "recess, threaded to 'opsratively engage the threads'of .s-aidscrew mernher and rad-jaustible thereon by rotation of the latter, one race of said weight being flattened along :a line extending longitudinally thereof, a set screw extending through said head :into said recess for engagement with said flattened surface to prevent rotation of said weight Within re Jess but permitting its longitudinal moveinent when the screw member is' turned, an =index marking adjacent the .mouth of saidrecess 'onione of said faces and a series of cooperating markings on the other of said faces, :last named markings being calibrated to respectively indicate predetermined longitudinal positions of said weight on said :screw memben-said set screws being adjustable to respectively lock said screw member and saidweight in selected positions.

CHARLES W. BIGLER. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

- UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1545;9d2 Chan Mar. .27, I900 1.5%,151'7 flollins Oct. 1927 1,666,174 Hollan'd Apr. 17., [928 2,002,108 "Child ,e May 21, 1935 2381,6236 Bancroft Aug. Fl, 1-945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,747 Great Brita-in 1909 303,290 Great Britain Jan. 3, 1.929 Great Britain May 21, 1931 

